Shell and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation strengthen bond

Due to its status as an oil and energy company, Royal Dutch Shell is rarely linked with wildlife issues. If they are, the stories will undoubtedly be negative in nature, with Shell portrayed as an uncaring corporate behemoth that’s intent on destroying the environment. Such stories tend to fall by the wayside when actual news comes about in this area.

That took place on February 28, when Shell announced that they would be expanding the Shell Marine & Wildlife Habitat Program (SMWHP). This program is a joint project with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and is part of the continuing connection that was first established by Shell in 1998.

Prior to the expansion, the SMWHP and NWFW had sought to make sure that certain areas and wildlife were protected from unwanted incursions. Over the past two decades, that’s meant that approximately 155,000 acres worth of habitat have not only been saved, but also restored to their previous condition and maintained in proper fashion.

The ecosystems of specific coastal areas have also been under this umbrella, with the current number of projects having reached 270 during that time frame. Addressing such areas isn’t cheap, yet it’s been able to deliver nearly $79 million in conservation efforts that further the organization’s cause.

The main target area for this partnership is the Gulf of Mexico, though it’s hardly the only section to be infused with such funding. However, the Gulf Coast Conservation Grants Program is specifically set up to allow environmental and conservation-based organizations a chance to apply for the proper funding for their project.

The 1998 agreement with the NWFW came just one year after Royal Dutch Shell began voluntarily reporting the company’s performance in the area of social concerns and environmental issues.